What is Masjid al-Qiblatayn?
Masjid al-Qiblatayn is a mosque in Medina known as "the mosque of the two qiblas". According to well-known historical reports, it is where Muslims turned mid-prayer from facing Jerusalem to facing the Kaaba in Mecca, after Allah changed the direction of prayer about 16 or 17 months after the Hijrah.
What the name means
"Masjid" means mosque, and "al-Qiblatayn" means "the two qiblas". A qibla is the direction Muslims face in prayer. For the first period in Medina, the Prophet ﷺ and the Muslims prayed toward Bayt al-Maqdis in Jerusalem. Then the command came to face the Kaaba instead, and that is the direction every Muslim faces today. See What is the qibla?
The story of the change
Al-Bara' ibn Azib reported that the Prophet ﷺ prayed toward Jerusalem for sixteen or seventeen months, while he loved to face the Kaaba. When the change came, a man who had prayed with him passed by another group of Muslims who were bowing in prayer, told them the qibla had changed, and they turned toward the Kaaba while still in prayer (Sahih al-Bukhari 40). A similar report describes the people of Quba turning during Fajr (Sahih al-Bukhari 403).
Historians link this event to the mosque of Banu Salimah in Medina, which became known as Masjid al-Qiblatayn. Some details of exactly who prayed where are debated, but the change of qibla itself is in the Quran and in sahih hadith.
Why the change of qibla matters
- Obedience: the Companions turned instantly, in the middle of a prayer, as soon as they heard the command. That's a lesson in trusting Allah.
- Continuity: Jerusalem stays honored in Islam, and the Kaaba links Muslims back to Abraham, who built it. See Why do Muslims pray facing Mecca?
- Unity: Muslims everywhere now face one point, five times a day.
Visiting the mosque today
Masjid al-Qiblatayn still stands in the northwest of Medina. It was rebuilt in modern times with two domes and two minarets, and it's a common stop for pilgrims doing Hajj or Umrah. Inside, there is only one mihrab now, facing Mecca. Visiting it is not a ritual requirement and has no special reward of its own beyond praying in any mosque, but many people find it moving to stand where this moment of history took place. If you're new to mosques in general, see What is a mosque?
- Masjid al-Qiblatayn means "the mosque of the two qiblas".
- Muslims first faced Jerusalem, then the Kaaba (Quran 2:144).
- Companions turned toward the Kaaba while still in prayer.
- Visiting is a nice extra on a Medina trip, not a ritual.
People also ask
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Yes, praying at a second Jumu'ah shift is accepted by most contemporary scholars due to need, as long as it has a khutbah and is in Dhuhr time.
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Yes, a convert can become an imam. Islam has no birth-based clergy; the one who knows the Quran best leads, whatever their background.
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Mosques have no pictures of people or animals to keep worship for Allah alone and avoid distraction; calligraphy and geometry are used instead.
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